Gorgeous Random Color Scheme Gradient Generator for Photoshop

Want some simply gorgeous random color scheme inspiration? This is the script for you!

I’m working on a new ebook about color combinations to be released later this year. Part of the work for that book entails some very cool Photoshop and Illustrator scripting. One of the scripts, the intriguing one I’m sharing with you today, takes four random colors and creates a stunningly beautiful gradient from them.

What is so great about a gradient of random colors?

There are a lot of great color scheme generator tools online, a few really great color scheme generator apps, but not a lot of them deal with creating complex gradients, primarily because it complicates software and is generally hard to do. If you put two dissimilar colors on a gradient spectrum and then move the colors towards each other, unexpected harmonies occur. The secret? The gradient acts on the colors by averaging them as they move toward each other, creating more and more harmony until they reach a single color at the midpoint. When the two colors are randomly chosen you are are bound to get some happy color combination accidents. Well, what happens if you put four colors in a gradient? You get all kinds of potential happy accidents and a fluid continuum of color harmonies for you to explore.

This is a huge time saver if you are looking for as many color ideas as possible in the least amount of time.

If you generate an interesting gradient, simply save it and explore it with the eye dropper, saving the color chips that inspire you the most.

About Douglas Bonneville

Douglas has been a graphic designer since 1992, in addition to software developer and author. He is a member of Smashing Magazine's "Panel of Experts" and has contributed to over 100 articles. He is the author of "The Big Book of Font Combinations", loves cats, and plays guitar.

Comments

hi carrie i *love* the name of your blog!!! nice colros looks more rust here w/ red/orangeish posted by carrie . and the font is small but totally readable and fine (not *small* like some blogs out there!). so that’s two cents from someone you never knew before!

Hehe…the design is getting long in the tooth and is a tad small. Check out my newest blog at thebiglistoflists.org where I carry the same branding idea forward a bit. I’ll be migrating this blog to that custom design with it’s own twist, and much larger type, hopefully before years end. There, now I said it, and now I have to do it!!